MAF selects new IT services provider

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) today announced that it has entered into contract negotiations with Unisys New Zealand Ltd as its new preferred IT infrastructure services provider.

“MAF issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for IT infrastructure services on the Government’s Electronic Tender System (GETS) in June this year,” MAF’s Acting Corporate Information Manager Stewart Watson said today.

“The result of that RFP is that Unisys has been selected as MAF’s preferred infrastructure services supplier. Unisys was able to offer the best mix of performance, capability and resources, resulting in the best value for money for the Ministry.”

MAF’s current IT infrastructure services provider, since 1998, is Gen-I. All short-listed bidders have been informed of MAF’s decision.

“MAF and Unisys are now undertaking due diligence and developing a transition plan. It is proposed that Unisys will take on full responsibility from 1 November 2004,” Stewart Watson said.

MAF has recently completed significant upgrades to its IT infrastructure. This has enabled improved communication with other agencies. MAF signalled last year that it would renew its IT infrastructure services contract in June 2004.

Unisys will provide support to MAF’s end users, and the effective management and operation of MAF’s IT Infrastructure for the next three years with the right to extend for a further two years.

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